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Camus VS Elegance Cognac

71 /100

see 1 reviews

Cognac age
VS
Growth area
Blend
Bottle size
700ml
ABV
40%

John G.

Reviews written: 14 (see reviews)

Average Score given: 78

Review Overview: Best & Most rated, All Reviewers & Reviews

Bio:

Regular contributor to Malt Review. WSET Spirits Level 2 Enthusiastic about all spirits but for vodka. Whisky is my 1st love but I'm currently enjoying my affair with rum, brandy and Mezcal.

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One of the best VS out there

71 /100

The color makes me think of honey.

With its relative accessibility and being fully family-owned, I see this Cognac house as sort of the Springbank of the category. The brand uses grapes from other regions. But it also uses grapes just from it's home base of the Borderies subregion in Cognac. I've become a quick fan of their distilling on the lees which result in a huge amount of fruity flavors.

On the nose: Immediately some rancio. I smell it in the form of medium intensity dried shiitake mushrooms and leather. With it are lighter but longer lasting aromas of honey, flower bouquet, ripe fresh peaches, Mandarin orange and dried apricots. At the “outskirts” of the aromas are subtle enveloping dried shiitake mushrooms and the tail end aromas of mangoes and Fuji apples.

In the mouth: The rancio isn’t as bold as on the nose. I still get floral notes like honey, ripe fresh peaches, Mandarin oranges, Fuji apples and dried apricots are light but bolder and longer lasting. At the end are subtle and quick tastes of Taiwanese pineapple cakes, cherry-flavored hard candy and dried mangoes.

Conclusion: There’s no alcoholic bite on either the nose or in the mouth. Offensive flavors and sensations are non-existent. Distilled on the lees or not, this is a fruit and floral bomb. Pretty intense floral and fruitiness too despite the abv.

The nose has a big and bold start but it consistently falls off. The blending of this seems to be genius with the necessary toning down of the rancio notes in the mouth. After all, most consumers will find the rancio taste to be unfamiliar. Thus, it will be unwelcomed and most likely seen as a fault.

Tags

  • Apple
  • Dried Apricot
  • Floral
  • Honey
  • Leather
  • Mango
  • Orange
  • Peach
  • Rancio

Flavour

Wood 3/10

Spice 3/10

Fruit 7/10

Flower 6/10

Bottle / Package Design 3/5

Where is the Love? Ordinary Nice Beautiful A sight to be seen!

Value for Money 4/5

Overpriced Low Average Bargain Steal

Tasting

Nose

What aromas do you get when you sniff the Cognac? Do you get hints of fruits or flowers - perhaps it's sweet? Is it intense or rather flat - and most importantly, is the nose coherent to taste and finish? The nose is the most important part when tasting Cognac.

20/25

Mouth

A small sip: Allow your taste buds in the various areas of your mouth to distinguish the different flavours. This part of cognac tasting is described as ‘the palate’. Don’t just swallow it down; allow the liquid to touch all the regions of the mouth. Doing this is necessary as the taste buds pick up contrasting flavours in the different areas of the mouth; on the tip of your tongue to the sides, for example. Take a tiny sip to prep your palate for the sensory experience to come. Take a second larger sip, and gently roll the cognac around, etting it come into contact with every corner of your mouth. Focus on the perceived textural sensations. Are the sensations round and rich or fresh and elegant? Is the overall mouthfeel intense, balanced, disjointed, or lacking presence? In short, how does the cognac feel in your mouth?

15/20

Taste

Quite simply, what do you taste as you gently roll the cognac around in your mouth? Pay close attention to any flavors of fruits, flowers, oak, and spices - or a complex combination of those elements. Are the flavors cohesive with the Nose and the Mouth, giving a sense of balance and complexity?

16/25

Finish

The ‘finish’ is the experience you get after you’ve swallowed the cognac. What flavours can you detect? Is it a flat or rough finish and rather sharp, or is it a slight 'punch' you like? How long does the finish last? Also think about overall balance: How does the finish compare to nose and taste?

14/20

Overall Impression

Consider the Nose, Mouth, Taste, and Finish simultaneously - the cognac as a whole. Is there cohesion between the four categories, or does the cognac shine in some areas and appear dull in others? Quite simply, is the memory from the tasting experience one that will last your lifetime; is the memory good but nothing extraordinary; or is the cognac’s impact entirely forgettable?

6/10

Total: 71/100

  • 80-84: Recommended
  • 85-89: Highly Recommended
  • 90-95: Exceptional
  • 96-100: Superlative
Flat Acceptable Fine Excellent Ethereal Thin & weak Disjointed Balanced Exquisite Bland Ordinary Good Excellent Spectacular Non-existent, or rough Acceptable Good Memorable Endless Uninspiring, or rough Ordinary Good Excellent Memorable
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